Steel building-frame construction



May 6, 1930.

J. H. EDWARDS STEEL BUILDING FRAME CONSTRUCTION Filed June 5, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 JNVENTOR 1'70 or //me May 6, 1930. J. H. EDWARDS STEEL BUILDING FRAME CONSTRUCTION Filed June 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2- I- II II I- II A T ORNEY May 1930. J. H. EDWARDS STEEL BUILDINQ FRAME CONSTRUCTION Filed June 5, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented May 6, 1930 UNITED STATES JAMES H. EDWARDS, O F PASSAIG, NEW JERSEY smut suiunmernamn CONSTRUCTION Application filed June 5,1928. Serial No. 283,018.

My invention relates to steel structures such 'as used in the construction of high buildings and aims to provide improvements in columns, column and beam connections and supports which are secured by welded or fused metal joints. I also aim to provide a column made of contiguous sections which are united to one another by welded connection members which are equi-distant from the vertical center line of the erected column and spaced from the web and located between the when read in connection with the accompanying drawings and will be pointed out with particularity in the appended claims.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is an elevation of part of the skeleton steel frame of a building embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line 33 of Fig. 1; 1

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail showing the manner of splicing two contiguous uiiit sections of a column and also illustrating means for framing beams or girders to the column;

Fig.5 is a horizontal section on line 5.5 of 4;

Fig. 6 is a similar section on line 6-45 of F Fig. 7 is an enlarged detailv section illustrating the fused metal joint between a col-- umn section and certain connection members;

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section illustratinga slight modification of the invention;

Fig. 9 is a view showing a pair of columns provided with a modified form of beam or girder seat;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail of the girder Fig. 11 is a sectional view on line 1111 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a horizontal section on line 12-12 of Fig. 10. i

Fig. 13 is a detail showing a modification;

Fig.1; is a plan of Fig. 13.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the reference letters A represent columns as a .whole, and reference letters B and B designate beams or girders framed to and supported by the columns.

Each column is made up of a plurality of contiguous unit sections designated a. Prefably though not necessarily, each unit section a is formed of a solid rolled steel section substantially H-shaped in cross-section, the depth of which as measured normal to the outer faces of the flanges 10 in a plane parallel to the web 12 is constant throughout the entire column. Thus, as shown in Fig. 2, the outer faces of the flanges 1O lie in continuous parallel planes. Such a column is desirable because beams B of uniform length may be utilized throughout the building, the beams being secured to supporting brackets 14 which as shown in detail in Fig. 11, are preferably secured to the flanges 10 by fused metal joints 16.

' The column sections a while being of uniform depth as measured across the outer faces of the flanges 10 throughout their length, however, are of different widths as measured across the face of, the flanges 10. As shown "in Fig. 1, the width across the faceof the flange 10 ofthe lowest section a is greater than that of the-section next above and the middle section a has a flange width greater than that of the section next above. This is due to the use of comparatively heavy column sections in the lower part of the building where the loads are correspondingly greater and the use of successively lighter sections toward the top of the building where the loads are gradually decreased.

The web thickness of the sections at difhas been necessary heretofore, therefore, to'

use beams or girders of different lengths between the columns because of the variation in distance between the web surfaces of the different column sections at the different elevations. To overcome this difficulty and provide a construction whereby beams of constant length between the webs 12 of the colunms may be used, I provide beam or girder supporting members such as indicated at 18 which are located a constant distance from the center of the web 12 in all sections a of the column. In otherwords, the distance y between the vertical center line of the column A and the outer 'faces of the plates 18 is equi-distant in all sections of the column. This is-graphically apparent from the illustration in Fig. 1. The supporting members 18 as shown in Figs. 1 and 6 are in the form of plates which are secured to the flanges 1010 by fused metal joints 20. These plates are provided with suitable holes for the reception of bolts 22 which engage matched angle plates 24 carried by the beams or girders B Alternatively, the beams B may be supported by angle shape supporting members 26 as illustrated in Figs. 9 to 12, these angle members being secured at their edges to the nner faces of the flanges 10 by fused metal oints 28. Each supporting member 26 throughout the entire length of the column is preferably located the same distance from the center line of the column as indicated by the dimension line 2,'in Fig. 10.

In other words, the distance 2 measured from the vertical center line of the column passing through the center of the web 12 to the inner face of the supporting members 26 will be constant throughout a given length of the column. The beams B may be suitably secured as by means of bolts 30. As thus arranged, it is clear that beams or girders I3 may be of substantially constant length throughout many stories of a building.

L'Li

\Vhere the angle shape supporting member of Fig. 10 is used, however, it is clear that slight variations'in the length of the different beams may be permitted without seriously affecting the assembly of the parts. This is true because the length of the beams B118 less than the distance between the web faces of the columns, therefore a certain working tolerance can be allowed andthe relatively wide seat provided by the angle shape member 26 will provide proper bearing support, and compensate for slight variations.

An important feature of the invention resides 1n the provision of a column made up of a plurality of unit sections connected by members which are spaced equidistant from the Vertical center line of the column sections so that regardless of the widths across the faces of the flanges of the column sections, the spacing of the connecting members will-be the same throughout the entire column so that a uniform or standard gauge connection can be used for all sections.

Such standard gauge or uniform column connections are illustrated conventionally in Fig. 1 and in detail in Figs. 4, 5 and 7. As clearly shown inthe latter figures, each column section is provided near the end thereof with connection members 32 located between the flanges 10 and united thereto near the toes of the flanges by means of fused metal joints 34. These connecting members 32 in all sections of the columns are located equidistant from the vertical center line of the column. In other words, the distance x 'between the center line of the column and the outer face of each connecting member 32 is the same in all sections of the column regardless of the flange width or web thickness of the column. For uniting or joining the column sections a to one another, I provide splice plates 36 having holes therein whichmatch with similar holes in the connectingmembers 32 so as 'to receive connecting bolts 38..

In my improved column structure, it is to much tedious and expensive drafting room and templet layout work which is required where the conventional forms of riveted column connections are used. After the bolted column splices have been made in the field, the splice plates, if desired, may also be united by fused metal'joints.

Thefused metal joints referred to herein may be secured by various welding methods, for example, by electric arc welding or acetylene gas welding.

While in the foregoing description, I have referred to column sections each comprising a single rolled structural member of substantially H-shape in cross-section, it is to be un derstood that the column, sections may be otherwise formed. For example, in F ig. 8, I have illustrated a horizontal section of a column section A built up of four rolled angles secured adjacent to the outer edges of a web plate 12. In this view, I show beam or girder connection plates 18 which are the same as those of Fig. 4, these plates being secured to the flanges 10' of the rolled angles by welded or other fused metal joints 20. The beams B are secured in substantially the same manner as indicated in Fig. 4 and the connecting means are correspondingly numbered.

It is clear that the connection-plates and beam supports can be secured in place between the flanges of the column by fused metal joints in the same manner whether the flanges and web of the column are integral parts of a single solid rolled member or formed of separate plates and rolled sections riveted or otherwise i secured together. Hence, the terms web and flange as used herein are intended to refer to built up sections as well as solid sections having their webs and flanges rolled integrally from the samebloom.

My improved connectionmembers may be welded between the flanges of structural sections-regardless of whether such sections are used as columns, beams or girders.

For example, in Figs. 13 and 14, I have shown a cross-section of a girder G having a web 40 and flanges 42 between which I weld beam connection members 44 and 46. The members 44 as shown in plan in Fig. 14 are disposed in parallel planes substantially perpendicular to the face of the web 40, said plates being secured to the flanges 42 and also to the web 40 by means of a welded, fused metal joint as indicated in dotted lines at 48. A beam seat angle bracket 50 is Welded at its opposite ends as indicated at 52 to the plates 44 so as to form a bearing for the laterally extending beam B5 The connection plate 46 on the right side of the web of the girder G is located in a plane parallel to but spaced from the web 40, the plate being secured by fused metal joints 54 near the toes of the flanges 42. A beam seat angle bracket 56 is welded at 58 to the outer face of the plate 46 and provides a bearing for the laterally extending beam B With this arrangement, it is apparent that by spacing the plates 46 a uniform distance from the Web 40 of the girder, that beams B of con-' .stant length may be used throughout the length of the girder. The-same is true, of course, of the beams B at the left of F ig. 13 in which case the beam seats 50 will preferably be located a constant distance from the center line of the web 40 of the girder.

I am aware that in a previous patent it has been proposed to provide a column having a uniform dimension in one direction (as measured between the outer faces of the flanges) so as to permit the use of beams of uniform length throughout the length of the column, But with such former construction it has not been feasible to use beams of uniform length between the webs of the column because of variations in web thickness and other inequalities such as the variation of flange width of the'successive column sections.

I do not claim broadly the idea of using beams of uniform length as the desirability of this has been previously suggested but so far as I am aware no prior column construction has been devised which permits the use of such uniform beams disposed at right anform length throughout the building because a of the equi-distant spacing of the beam supporting members 18 or 26 from the center of the web 12 of the column. In other words, with the columns of the prior art, it is only possible to provide beams ofQuniform length which were framed between the flange faces of the adjacent columns while with the column of my invention, the beams framed be? tween the web faces of the column as well may be made of uniform size throughout the length of the column.

The general principles ofthe invention apply to girder connections as well as column connections, it being apparent that,uniform splice plates may be utilized and that a constant gauge may be maintained for the beam connections as illustrated and described in connection with Figs. 13 and 14.

While I have described quite specifically certain embodiments of the invention herein illustrated, it is to be understood that the drawings and description are to be construed in an illustrative rather than a limiting sense since various modifications and substitution of equivalents may be made by those skilled end.

2. A column comprising a plurality of contiguous unit sections, each having a web portion and spaced flanges per iendicular thereto. connection plates welded at their edges to said flanges and spaced equi-distant from the center plane of the column parallel to t said web portion and members engaging said connection plates and uniting'said unlt sections end to end.

3. A column comprising a plurality of contiguous unit sections, each including a solid rolled H-shaped member having an integral Web and flanges and each section having a plurality of connection plates secured parallel to the web thereof, all of said plates being spaced equi-distantfrom the center line of the web as measured in a line at right 'theflanges of said unit sections by fused metal joints.

5. A column unit section of the character described having solid rolled web and flange portions, and a pair of connection plates at each end of the section which bridge thespaces between and aresecured to the outer portions of said flanges, said plates being substantially parallel to and equi-distant from the center of said web.

6. The column section of claim 5 in which the connection plates are homogeneously united to the flanges of said unit sections by welded joints.

7. The column section of claim 5 having beam or girder supports spaced from the web and welded to the flanges .of the section.

8. The column of claim 1 including a beam or girder-support welded to the flanges of each section, each of said supports being spaced the same distance from the center of the web portion.

9. The column of claim 1 including a supporting member united at its edges to the flanges of each section, each of said members having a face parallel to the web of the section and the distance between said face of each member and the center line of the column being constant for several sections of the column.

10. A column comprising a plurality of "contiguous unit sections each including a pair of substantially parallel flanges, connection members located between and secured adjacent the toes'of said flanges by fused metal joints, the connection members of each section being spaced the same. distance from the vertical center line of the column.

11. The column of claim 10'including splice members secured to said connection members and uniting said unit sections end to end.

12. A structural member having at least one pair of substantiallyparallel flanges, and a connection member located wholly between and secured at its edges adjacent the toes of and to the inner faces of said flanges by fused metal joints.

13. A structural section having a web and a pair of substantially parallel flanges perpendicular thereto and a plurality of beam supports located between and welded at their edges to the inner faces of said flanges and spaced equal distances away from said web.

14. A rolled steel section having an integral web and flanges and a plurality of connection members located wholly between said flanges and spaced equal distances away from the center of said web said members being my name.

JAMES H. EDWARDS. 

